Bloghttp://www.mercyforanimals.org/blog2016-11-30T14:02:27-08:00http://www.mercyforanimals.org/should-meat-come-with-a-cancer-warning-weShould Meat Come With a Cancer Warning? We Say Yes.2016-12-08T11:25:27-08:002016-12-08T11:25:27-08:00This would be AMAZING.Joe Loria
According to a recent Munchies article, a food watchdog group is petitioning the USDA to place cancer labels on processed meats.

Last year, the UN’s World Health Organization released a groundbreaking study placing processed meats, such as jerky and bacon, in the same category of cancer risk as asbestos and cigarettes.

Using WHO’s study as a framework, the Center for Science in the Public Interest published a petition to the USDA requesting that processed meat products contain cancer warning stickers similar to those on tobacco products.

The petition states:

In recent years, scientific research has led to the conclusion that processed meat and poultry increases the risk of colorectal cancer, which is the second‐leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, and [is] expected to account for 49,190 deaths in 2016.

It’s true. Past
studies corroborate the correlation between meat consumption and increased
risk of colon cancer. One study found that compared to women who ate one
serving of red meat a week, women who ate 1.5 servings of red meat a day had a
22 percent greater risk of developing breast cancer. And
researchers from Harvard have revealed that an increase in red meat consumption
is directly related to an increased risk of diabetes.

As if the threat of cancer and diabetes weren’t enough to turn you off meat, animals on modern farms are treated like unfeeling objects, and their short lives are filled with misery and deprivation.

Watch.

Thankfully, you can avoid the dangers of animal products. By switching to a vegan diet, you can protect your health and animals who live tortured lives on factory farms.

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This would be AMAZING.http://www.mercyforanimals.org/scary-af-rare-contagious-superbug-gene-foundScary AF: Rare Contagious Superbug Gene Found on U.S. Pig Farm2016-12-08T10:59:58-08:002016-12-08T10:59:58-08:00Be afraid. Be very afraid.Joe Loria
According to NBC
News, researchers have found a rare and terrifying superbug gene on a U.S.
pig farm. The gene gives bacteria the ability to resist antibiotics, even
antibiotics of last resort. Consumption of undercooked meat could transfer these
dangerous pathogens to humans.

While researchers stressed that the pigs carrying the gene
weren’t slated for slaughter, the mutant gene should not have been on the farm
at all and they have no idea how it got there. That’s scary.

The concern is that the gene will get into bacteria that infect
people. Antibiotic-resistant superbugs called carbapenem-resistant
Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, are particularly threatening. If they get into the
bloodstream and cause infection, CRE germs kill half their victims.

The researchers write:

The implication of our finding is
that there is a real risk that CRE may disseminate in food animal populations
and eventually contaminate fresh retail meat products.

Antibiotic-resistant superbugs have been found in factory-farmed
animals before. In September, a strain of antibiotic-resistant salmonella was
discovered in pork from Washington state farms. Last November, Chinese and
British researchers reported a colistin-resistant strain of E. coli in pigs,
raw pork, and even a few people in China. Additionally, the United
States saw its first case of a person infected with an antibiotic-resistant
bacterial strain this year.

A study published in Mother Jones predicts 10 million
people will die a year from antibiotic-resistant infections by 2050.

On modern farms, antibiotics are used to make animals grow
faster and keep them alive in conditions that would otherwise kill them.
Bacteria can develop resistance to these antibiotics, making it virtually impossible to treat humans who
become infected by these superbugs.

Is it any wonder that cramped, filthy factory farm
conditions are breeding grounds for disease?

You can do your part by switching to a compassionate vegan
diet. Click here to order your FREE Vegetarian
Starter Guide today.

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Be afraid. Be very afraid.http://www.mercyforanimals.org/the-countrys-largest-meat-company-just-startedThe Country’s Largest Meat Company Just Started a VC Fund for Vegan Meats2016-12-07T14:47:40-08:002016-12-07T14:47:40-08:00This is why we’re winning.Joe Loria

According to Forbes, Tyson Foods has started a
venture capital fund to invest in plant-based and sustainable protein options.

On Monday, America’s largest meat producer announced that it
had launched Tyson New Ventures LLC, a $150 million venture capital fund. The
company said the fund will focus on companies that are developing
"breakthrough" technology and business models.

Just last month, the company announced a 5-percent stake in fast-growing
vegan protein company Beyond
Meat.

Tyson’s executive vice president of strategy, Monica McGurk,
stated:

We believe we can accelerate the
growth of startups through our capabilities in such areas as food and culinary
research and development, sourcing, insights, customer relationships and
distribution. By doing so, we hope to materially advance the state of the U.S.
and global food system.

Tyson isn’t the first big company to invest in the vegan
movement. Earlier this year, General
Mills created its own VC arm and has since invested in vegan cheese company
Kite Hill.

With an estimated 12
percent of millennials identifying as faithful vegetarians, this is truly a
wise investment in the future. Meat consumption in the U.S. fell 15 percent in
2015, while sales of vegan protein products exploded. In fact, plant-based
proteins are expected to make up a third of the protein market by 2054.

Join the growing number of people who are taking a stand
for animals, the environment, and their own health by transitioning to a plant-based
diet.

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This is why we’re winning.http://www.mercyforanimals.org/academy-of-nutrition-and-dietetics-veganAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegan Diet Good for Kids and Adults2016-12-06T15:32:42-08:002016-12-06T15:32:42-08:00No surprise here.Joe Loria
According to Reuters,
the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has come out in favor of a vegan diet
for both kids and adults.

The leading group of nutritionists said plant-based diets
are tied to a lower risk of health problems, such as certain cancers, heart
disease, diabetes, and obesity. The academy also reports that vegetarian and
vegan diets are appropriate for all stages of life, including early childhood,
pregnancy, adolescence, and old age.

In a position statement published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics, the group explains that this is because a vegan diet contains
more fruits and vegetables, fewer sweets and salty snacks, and smaller amounts
of total and saturated fats.

Vandana Sheth, a registered dietitian, nutritionist, and
spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, states:

People who adopt vegetarian diets
have a lower body mass index, better control of blood pressure and blood
glucose, less inflammation and lower cholesterol levels compared with
non-vegetarians.

This isn’t the first report to advocate a plant-based diet. Study
after study has shown that a plant-based diet is beneficial to your health. The World Health Organization asserts that
processed meats are just as hazardous to your health as cigarettes.
Additionally, earlier this year the Mayo Clinic reported that switching to a vegan
diet could add up to four years to your life.

If the threat of cancer and diabetes weren’t enough, animals
on modern farms are treated like machines, and their short lives are filled
with misery and deprivation.

See for yourself:

It’s clear as day that a plant-based diet is healthy, but
did you know it’s also the most compassionate choice you can make to help
animals who live tortured lives on factory farms?

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No surprise here.http://www.mercyforanimals.org/your-pre-cooked-chicken-might-actually-beYour “Pre-Cooked Chicken” Might Actually Be Raw and Could Make You Very Sick2016-12-06T15:00:59-08:002016-12-07T09:03:03-08:00Almost 2 million pounds of chicken recalled.Joe Loria
According to CNN, National Steak and Poultry issued a recall of more than 1.9 million pounds of chicken products.

The USDA reported on Monday that the products are sold as fully cooked for consumers to heat and serve, but may be undercooked. Undercooked chicken can harbor bacteria that lead to gastrointestinal illness.

While so far there are no reported illnesses related to these products, the USDA has classified this recall as a Class I:

This is a health hazard situation
where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause
serious, adverse health consequences or death.

Chicken meat is absolutely filthy. According to the USDA, around 25 percent of cut-up chicken and about 50 percent of ground chicken sold in stores is contaminated with salmonella.

Each year, salmonella sickens more than 1 million people and results in more hospitalizations and deaths than any other foodborne illness. Salmonella infection rates in people have risen 44 percent in just the past decade.

As undercover investigations by Mercy For Animals have shown time and again, factory farms are breeding grounds not only for unconscionable animal abuse but also for deadly diseases.

The best way to safeguard your own health and reduce the needless suffering of animals is to transition to a humane vegan diet. For more information, check out ChooseVeg.com.

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Almost 2 million pounds of chicken recalled.http://www.mercyforanimals.org/compassionate-vegan-saves-23-pound-lobsterCompassionate Vegan Saves 23-Pound Lobster From Becoming Someone’s Dinner2016-12-02T15:03:04-08:002016-12-02T15:03:04-08:00“There was nothing else that was going to be a predator — except man.”Joe Loria
According to CTV, a huge 23-pound lobster dubbed "King Louie" was saved from becoming someone’s dinner when a vegan returned him to the sea.

Catherine MacDonald, co-owner of the Alma Lobster Shop in southern New Brunswick, said King Louie was possibly a century old.

She told the Canadian news outlet:

It's beautiful for a lobster to be 23 pounds and to be that large, there was nothing else that was going to be a predator — except man.

MacDonald claims the lobster is about four feet long and very healthy. A fisherman in St. Martins, New Brunswick, caught him.

A vegan animal rights activist from Nova Scotia bought the gentle creature for $230 and requested he be released back into the ocean. He was released in the Bay of Fundy on Tuesday.

Although King Louie’s story ended happily, the same cannot be said for the stories of billions of other animals who are needlessly killed for human consumption every year.

Often boiled alive, lobsters experience immense suffering. Many believe lobsters and other marine life are incapable of feeling pain, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology reveals that crabs, lobsters, and fish do in fact all feel pain.

While this was a great expression of this vegan’s compassion, the best thing we can do is boycott the cruel meat, egg, and dairy industries. By not purchasing live animals or animal products, you are taking a strong stand against animal abuse.

Please visit ChooseVeg.com for more information on switching to a compassionate vegan diet.

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“There was nothing else that was going to be a predator — except man.”http://www.mercyforanimals.org/veal-isnt-the-only-baby-animal-we-eatVeal Isn't the Only Baby Animal We Eat2016-12-02T08:36:07-08:002016-12-02T08:36:07-08:00We often hear people say, “I don’t eat veal because killing a baby is wrong.”Joe Loria
We often hear people say, “I don’t eat veal because killing a baby is wrong.” But what if we told you that every animal violently slaughtered on a factory farm was a baby? Don’t believe us? Read this:

Turkeys

The natural lifespan of a turkey is 10 years, but through special breeding, turkeys reach “market size” in just 8–26 weeks. They’re literally just babies.

Ducks

In the wild, ducks can also live up to 10 years, but like most birds on factory farms, they’re slaughtered at 8–26 weeks. Again, babies.

Egg-Laying Hens

Mother hens on factory farms live terrible lives, often shoved into crowded battery cages. While they have the potential to live up to eight years, due to unnaturally high egg production, they typically only live a year or two. In nature, egg-laying hens would produce one egg a month, but through intense breeding on factory farms, they produce around 27 eggs a month, which takes a major toll on their fragile bodies.

Males of Egg-Laying Chicken Breeds

Because male chicks do not lay eggs or grow quickly enough to be raised profitably for meat, they are often killed within hours of hatching. Some are ground up alive while others are gassed or suffocated. If given the chance to live, these little guys could grow up to be eight years old. More lives cut short.

Chickens Raised for Meat

Known as “broilers,” these birds are bred to grow extremely fast. So fast, in fact, that their legs often break under the birds’ own weight. Naturally, these chickens could live for eight years, but they’re slaughtered at just six weeks.

Catfish

Like cows, pigs, turkeys, ducks, and chickens, catfish raised on factory fish farms are killed at a very early age. Born into filthy and crowded tanks, catfish reach “slaughter weight” in just under two years. In the wild, these intelligent and sensitive fish could live for 20–30 years.

Pigs Raised for Meat

While pigs in nature live for about 15 years, on factory farms they are selectively bred to grow extremely fast, reaching slaughter size in just six months. Rapid growth takes a toll on these gentle animals, often causing joint problems. WTF is right!

The natural lifespan of cattle is about 15–20 years, but due to selective breeding, cattle on factory farms are killed at only 18 months. I don’t know about you, but just over a year old is a baby to me!

Calves on Veal Farms

We know, we know — you don’t eat veal because the calves are just babies. But like we said, all animals killed on factory farms are just babies. Calves raised for veal could live for 15–20 years, but are often killed at just 32 weeks.

Want to learn more about the lifespans of farmed animals? Watch.

Luckily, consumers can withdraw their financial support from farmers who kill baby animals by adopting a healthy and humane vegan diet.

Click here for tips on making the transition to a cruelty-free lifestyle.

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We often hear people say, “I don’t eat veal because killing a baby is wrong.”http://www.mercyforanimals.org/kat-von-d-veganism-changed-meKat Von D: Veganism Changed Me2016-12-01T15:20:08-08:002016-12-01T15:20:08-08:00We recently chatted with Kat about anything and everything animal rights for our upcoming issue of CL magazine.Joe Loria
Kat Von D’s resume is nothing short of extraordinary: a celebrated tattoo artist, model, musician, entrepreneur, and television personality. But many people may not know that she’s also a proud vegan and animal rights activist.

We recently chatted with Kat about anything and everything animal rights for our upcoming issue of CL magazine.

What inspired you to live a vegan lifestyle?

After being a vegetarian for years, I stumbled upon the documentary Forks Over Knives. The straightforward information on food and its direct connection to the current state of the world’s bad health just hit home with me. After watching it, I never looked back.

It may sound silly, but when I first made the transition to eating plant-based, I foolishly thought veganism was just about diet. But the more I learned, the more it was obviously so much more than that.

Veganism changed me. It taught me to look past myself—to consider how my choices affect others—the animals, the people around me, and the planet we live on. To me, veganism is consciousness.

How would you describe your brand of activism?

As much as people wearing fur boils my blood, I’m definitely not the type of activist to throw paint on fur-wearing people. I’m also not the kind of activist who wants to get naked to sell a message through sex (although if I believed those methods were effective, I’d strip down in a heartbeat).

My personal approach to activism is sharing what I know as effectively as possible. I want to do everything in my power to influence the fastest possible change.

As for the content I create, whether it’s tattooing, beauty products, or shoes, I see all of these business ventures as an opportunity to make it easy for the consumer to choose compassion over cruelty.

What part of MFA's work most resonates with you?

I love the “voice" of Mercy For Animals. The delivery of the message is smart, informative, honest, direct, and easy to follow. It speaks not only to the vegan community, but more importantly, to the non-vegan world.

Kat Von D Beauty recently announced the entire line would be vegan. How did that make you feel?

I wasn’t yet vegan when I started KvD Beauty almost 10 years ago, so reformulating preexisting non-vegan makeup products has been a great thing. I love being able to show not just makeup junkies, but other brands (both indie and corporate), that conscious ethical changes are important, realistically doable, and profitable. If I can do it, so can you.

Any words of advice for people thinking about going vegan?

Follow @mercyforanimals! I’ve learned so much from them about how awesome and important becoming vegan is—for the animals, for humanity, and for the planet! Let’s do this!

--

Join Kat and the millions of people worldwide who have made the compassionate decision to go vegan and reduce animal suffering.

Ready to get started? Click here to order your FREE Vegetarian Starter Guide.

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We recently chatted with Kat about anything and everything animal rights for our upcoming issue of CL magazine.http://www.mercyforanimals.org/factory-farms-are-destroying-the-planet-andFactory Farms Are Polluting Like Crazy and the EPA Gives Zero F*cks2016-11-30T14:02:27-08:002016-11-30T14:02:27-08:00WTF, EPA?Joe Loria
According to independent, not-for-profit, non-partisan news organization InsideClimate News, the Environmental Protection Agency's inspector general is examining the agency’s failure to measure potentially toxic air emissions from U.S. factory farms.

Numerous environmental groups report that the agency’s inaction has allowed livestock operations to spew pollutants without government oversight for more than a decade.

In the early 2000s, the EPA said it would create a system for measuring emissions from feeding operations. Emissions from factory farms can fall under three different federal laws if the pollution they generate hits a certain level; however, the article states that “the government and livestock industry have struggled to agree on accurate ways of measuring emissions,” allowing these farms to get away with pollution.

While the main concern has been water pollution, which falls under the Clean Water Act, communities near factory farms have long complained about the stench, as well as the health and environmental impacts of emissions of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, particulates, and other pollutants. High levels of methane and nitrous oxide emissions have also been linked to factory farming. Both of these gases cause global climate change.

Jonathan Lovvorn, an attorney with The Humane Society of the United States, states:

The EPA has put in regulation on oil and gas, and proposed regulations on landfills, but they've done nothing on CAFOs. So when we're looking at the goals for the Paris agreement, this is a huge leak in the safety net. They've done nothing on this.

While a report on the investigation isn’t expected until next spring, the uncertainty of the current political climate is leaving many worried that still nothing will be done.

Thankfully, you need not wait for the EPA to take action against factory farms. By switching to a vegan diet, you help your health, farmed animals, and the planet.

Ready to get started? Click here to order your FREE Vegetarian Starter Guide.

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WTF, EPA?http://www.mercyforanimals.org/this-is-why-2017-will-be-the-year-of-veganThis Is Why 2017 Will Be the Year of Vegan Meats2016-11-30T13:26:05-08:002016-12-02T16:28:37-08:00Step aside, meat.Joe Loria
According to Canadian news outlet CTV News, a market research group expects to see a huge rise in vegan meats next year.

New York-based Baum + Whiteman has released its food and restaurants trends report for 2017. The forecast is based on recent trends and new product developments. The group foresees a boom in vegan meats over the next year as meat lovers wean themselves off of animal products.

Vegan meats that are similar to their animal-based counterparts are expected to perform the best. These include brands like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. Both of these brilliant companies have developed plant-based burgers that “bleed” and sizzle.

Meat consumption in the U.S. fell 15 percent in 2015 and vegan products are soaring. In fact, they’re expected to make up a third of the protein market by 2054.

The market research report also predicts that vegan “butcher” shops will continue to grow in popularity.

In 2014, Canada's first vegetarian butcher, YamChops, debuted. Just last spring, America’s first-ever vegan butcher shop, The Herbivorous Butcher, opened its doors in Minneapolis. Owned by brother and sister duo Aubry and Kale Walch, the shop offers 35 vegan meats as well as cheeses and butters. Now, yet another meatless butcher is making headlines: Atlas Meat-Free Delicatessen will open in Miami in early 2017.

With vegan foods becoming more accessible, it’s never been easier to ditch animal products. Join the growing number of people who are taking a stand for animals, the environment, and their own health by transitioning to a plant-based diet.